Diagnosis, Differential ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; pathology ; surgery ; Hemangioma, Capillary ; pathology ; Hemangiosarcoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; pathology

Objective To study the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) in preeclampsia placenta and the relation with preeclampsia attacks.Methods Forty-four samples from pregnant women with preeclampsia (preeclampsia group),38 samples from pregnant women with eclampsia,and 49 samples from normal pregnancies (control group) were obtained.We detected the expression of EMMPRIN in placenta by immunohistochemistry and the expression of EMMPRIN mRNA by RT-PCR,Results (1) EMMPRIN positive expression:in preeclampsia group,the moderate expression rate was 18% (8/44) and the strong positive rate was 9% (4/44);in eclampsia group moderate positive rate was 21% (8/38) and strong positive rate 13% (5/38).The difference of the two groups was insignificant (P＞0.05).In control group the moderate positive rate was 12% (6/49) and strong positive rate 82% (40/49),the difference from the preeclampsia and the eclampsia groups was significant (P＜0.001).(2)EMMPRIN mRNA expression:in preeclampsia group EMMPRIN mRNA expression in term placenta (37-40 gestational weeks) was 0.342?0.002,and in eclampsia group 0.344?0.023;the difference between the two groups was insignificant (P＞0.05).In control group EMMPRIN mRNA expression in term placenta (37-40 gestational weeks) was 0.872?0.094,the differences between the control group and preeclampsia and eclampsia groups were both significant (P＜0.001).Conclusion The decrease in the expression of EMMPRIN in placenta is an important cause of preeclampsia onset;expression rate of EMMPRIN may serve as an indicator in predicting preeclampsia.

Objective To investigate the supply of iodized salt in non-excessive iodine counties and iodine-free salt in excessive iodine counties at household level in Jiangsu Province so as to provide a basis for the prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders(IDD).Methods According to the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Monitoring Program(Trial),county(city,district) was taken as a elementary sampling unit in Jiangsu Province.Townships(towns) and administrative villages were selected by systematic sampling and random sampling in every county and households were chosen by random sampling to collect their edible salt samples.The salt iodine content in non-and excessive iodine regions was detected by direct titration method and semi-quantitative method,respectively.Results All 30 840 salt samples were collected from 106 non-excessive iodine counties,and qualified iodized salt was 30 303 copies,iodine-free salt 199 copies.Weighted by the population of counties,the rate of iodine-free salt was 0.71％,the coverage rate of iodized salt accounted for 99.29％,out of which,98.93％ was qualified and the consuming rate of qualified iodized salt was 98.23％.All 1296 salt samples were collected in 5 counties with excessive water iodine content and the coverage rate of iodine-free salt was 98.99％ (1283/1295).Conclusions The national targets for preliminary elimination of IDD have been achieved in regions of nonexcessive and excessive iodine of Jiangsu Province.But it still should be strengthen the management work of iodinefree salt in excessive iodine counties and iodine saft in non-excessive iodine counties.

Notopterygium incisum is the important medicinal materials of the Tibetan-Qiang medical system in China, also one of the rare and endangered medicinal materials in the Plateau areas in the meantime. Taking the planting of in Sichuan province as an example, research on the N. incisum in Sichuan utilize remote sensing and GIS techniques, bind growth environment factor, including height factor, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, forest information, were chosen according to habitat conditions. And combine field measurement to verify. The results indicate that N. incisum resources in Sichuan province were mainly distributed in the alpine valley and the northwest of the plateau, which suitability distribution areas of 4145 km2 approximately and accounting for 2% of the total area. Suitability areas accounting for more than 2% of the respective total area in Heishui county, Lixian county, Xiaojin county, Kangding county, ect. According to the field investigation and the related document information record, drawn that the suitability distribution based on RS and GIS were corresponded with the actual distribution areas of N. incisum resources. It's feasible to divide the suitability distribution area of N. incisum using RS and GIS, which will provide a scientific basis for a comprehensive investigation of the distribution as well as its rational exploitation and protection.
Apiaceae ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Geographic Information Systems ; Telemetry

BACKGROUND: The poor retention and survival of donor cells implanted into the myocardium limit the efficacy of cell therapy for myocardial infarction. Embedding cells in natural or synthetic biomaterials is a strategy to address this issue. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) encapsulated in hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel on cardiac function after myocardial infarction. METHODS:BMSCs from male Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated and cultured,and then HA-encapsulated BMSCs were cultured in vitro in the three-dimensional manner. A model of myocardial infarction was made by cutting the anterior descending artery of female Sprague-Dawley rats. After 1 week, the model rats were screened by ultrasonic testing and then eligible ones were randomly divided into four groups: PBS group (n=8), HA group (n=8), BMSCs group (n=29), and HA-encapsulated BMSCs group (n=29). At 1 week after modeling, the model rats underwent the secondary thoracotomy and the implants were injected into the marginal zone and infarcted region in corresponding groups. The survival rate and apoptosis of implanted cells were examined at post-injection day 1, week 1 and week 2 by RT-PCR and TUNEL respectively. At post-injection week 4, changes of cardiac microstructure and function were evaluated by histological examination and echocardiography. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the BMSCs group, HA hydrogel significantly enhanced the survival rate and reduced the apoptotic rate of BMSCs at post-injection day 1 and week 2 (both P < 0.05). At post-injection week 4, the HA+BMSCs combined treatment yielded the best recovery of cardiac function (P < 0.05). To conclude, HA hydrogel can act as a vehicle for BMSCs delivery and improve the beneficial effects of implanted BMSCs in early myocardial repair(within 2 weeks after infarction)via enhancing cell retention and survival.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic efficacy of standard antiviral therapy applied after interferon (IFN) treatment failure in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

METHODSCHC patients who completed a 48-week course of IFN therapy (pegylated (Peg)-IFNa-2a at 180 mug, qw, ih with or without ribavirin (RBV) at 15 mg/kg/w) in our hospital between January 2009 and June 2012 but who showed no response (at week 48) or who relapsed (at week 72) were enrolled in the study. Prior to initiating the 48-week course of retreatment therapy (Peg-IFNa-2a plus RBV as above), the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype was detected and the viral load measured (baseline) by PCR of HCV RNA. Each patient's response to therapy was classified as follows: baseline vs. week 4 (rapid virological response, RVR), vs. weeks 12 and 24 (early virological response, EVR), vs. week 48 (end of treatment virological response, ETVR) and vs. week 72 (sustained virological response, SVR).

RESULTSOf the total 235 cases administered retreatment therapy, 60.0% (n = 140) achieved RVR, 77.4% (n = 182) achieved EVR, 83.8% (n = 197) achieved ETVR, 68.0% (n = 68%) achieved SVR, and 15.7% (n = 37) relapsed. Stratification analysis of recurrence (n = 158) and non-responsive (n = 77) sub-groups showed that the recurrence group experienced significantly higher rates of RVR, EVR, ETVR and SVR, but a significantly lower rate of relapse. Stratification analysis of genotype 1b carrier (n = 206) and non-1b carrier (n = 29) sub-groups showed that the 1b carriers had significantly lower rates of RVR, EVR, ETVR and SVR, but a significantly higher rate of relapse. Finally, the patients who achieved RVR (vs. non RVR, n = 95) and EVR (vs. non-EVR, n = 53) showed higher rates of SVR and ETVR.

CONCLUSIONCHC patients who fail to respond to the initial course of standard IFN-based therapy may achieve SVR upon retreatment, especially those infected with the HCV genotype 1b.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Interferons ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Retreatment ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Failure

Adult ; Aged ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; analysis ; Coal Mining ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; chemistry ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; metabolism ; Pneumoconiosis ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; analysis

Serum testosterone levels and gonad function decline with the aging of males. Large-scale epidemiological investigations, mechanism researches and clinical studies conducted in recent years have shown that physiological androgens are critical for the protection of the cardiovascular system. Testosterone deficiency in aging males is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors which include hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, thrombogenic and fibrinolytic dysfunction and inflammation. It can also lead to endothelial and vascular dysfunction, accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis and increase the morbidity of cardio-vascular disease.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Testosterone ; deficiency

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of L-carnitine on the testis and epididymis against ornidazole (ORN)-induced injury in male rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats weighing 200 -230 g were randomly divided into 5 groups, Group A treated with 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and Groups B, C, D and E with ORN at the daily dose of 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg plus LC 100 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg plus LC 100 mg/kg, respectively, all by oral gavage for 20 days continuously. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, all the rats were put to death, their testes and epididymides harvested, weighed and subjected to HE staining. The indexes of the testes and epididymides were obtained and their histopathological changes observed.

RESULTSCompared with Group A, Groups B and C showed significant decreases in the indexes of the testis and epididymis (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), while Group D exhibited no difference and Group E extremely significant difference (P < 0.01). HE staining revealed that the spermatogenic cells at all levels of testicular seminiferous tubules were neatly arranged in Group B, caduceus in some seminiferous tubules, with decreased number of sperm and sporadic spermatogenic cells in the epididymal duct. Necrotic and caduceus spermatogenic cells were observed in the seminiferous tubules of Group C, with significantly decreased number of sperm and lots of non-sperm cell components in the epididymal duct. No obvious changes were found in the testicular seminiferous tubules, nor evident reduction in the number of sperm in the epididymal duct of Group D. Group E showed decreased number of sperm in the testicular seminiferous tubules, necrotic and caduceus spermatogenic cells, obviously reduced number of sperm and a lot of non-sperm cell components in the epididymal duct.

CONCLUSIONORC can induce histopathological changes in the testis and epididymis of male rats, and L-carnitine plays a role in protecting the testis and epididymis from ORN-induced injury in male rats.

Animals ; Carnitine ; pharmacology ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Ornidazole ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology

BACKGROUNDDocetaxel (DOC) therapy is well tolerated and shows high response rates in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). There are many reports on the effect of rapamycin (RPM) on the treatment of carcinogenesis. The goal of this study was to test whether RPM could enhance the susceptibility of both androgen-dependent and -independent prostate carcinoma cells to DOC.

METHODSProstate cancer (PC) cell lines (LNCap, PC3 and AILNCap) were cultured and treated with RPM and DOC alone or in combination. The effects of therapeutic agents on cells were determined by the WST-1 assay. Apoptosis induction was confirmed by flow cytometric analysis. The apopcyto caspase colorimetric assay kit was applied to measure the activities of caspases 3 and 9. The antitumor effects of RPM and DOC against PC cells were also assessed in nude mice using four randomized groups: control, RPM, DOC and combination drug therapy by measuring tumor size. All the animals tolerated both RPM and DOC without significant weight loss.

RESULTSRPM and DOC caused dosage-dependent growth suppression of PC cells. RPM could increase the susceptibility of PC cells to DOC significantly, and combined treatment with RPM and DOC caused synergistic growth suppression in all examined PC cell lines by isobolographic analysis. Both RPM and DOC significantly induced apoptosis in a dosage-dependent manner. RPM (10 nmol/L), DOC (1 nmol/L), and combined treatment induced apoptosis rate were 8%, 17% and 38%, respectively (the control was 2%). RPM could promote the apoptosis induced by DOC in PC cell lines. Both RPM and DOC significantly increased the caspase activity in a dosage-dependent manner. The relative activities of caspase 9 in control, RPM, DOC and RPM + DOC groups were 0.22 +/- 0.02, 0.36 +/- 0.06, 0.47 +/- 0.05 and 0.84 +/- 0.08, respectively. The relative activities of caspase 3 were 0.21 +/- 0.02, 0.24 +/- 0.05, 0.42 +/- 0.06 and 0.81 +/- 0.09, respectively. Either RPM or DOC alone significantly inhibited the growth of PC cells in nude mice compared to the control. The combination of RPM and DOC produced a significant reduction in tumor volume when compared to RPM or DOC alone. After 5-week treatment, the tumor sizes of LNCap in control, RPM, DOC and RPM + DOC groups were (570 +/- 56) mm(3), (412 +/- 41) mm(3), (425 +/- 46) mm(3) and (221 +/- 26) mm(3), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSRPM could significantly increase the susceptibility of both androgen-dependent and -independent PC cells to DOC; the synergy of RPM and DOC was demonstrated. RPM enhanced the DOC-induced upregulation of caspase activity, resulting in an increasing number of cells in sub-G1 phases. The synergy of the combined treatment might be observed in both androgen-dependent and -independent PC cell lines.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Synergism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Sirolimus ; therapeutic use ; Taxoids ; therapeutic use ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays